Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Saint Julien 1988

Shows outstanding structure and definition. New oak comes through in the coffee and plum aromas and the palate is firm and concentrated, with delicious blackberry flavors. Hold until 2000 for it to soften and bloom.--Ducru-Beaucaillou vertical.

Proprietor Bruno Borie referred to this as "the Indian Summer vintage." Medium to deep brick in color with a hint of brown, the 1988 Ducru-Beaucaillou gives up pronounced notes of leather, Chinese five spice, sandalwood and cigar box with a core of dried figs and cranberries plus hints of fruitcake and smoked meats. Medium-bodied and mature, the palate still possesses a fair bit of chew with lingering notions of exotic spices and black tea, finishing with a fragrant dried herbs lift.

The 1988 Ducru Beaucaillou was picked from 30 September according to the château's records. This was the period where some of the stock was afflicted by a taint from the roof of one of the storage cellars, though this bottle was clean. It has an attractively fresh and quite youthful bouquet compared to its peers and 30 years of age: black fruit, leather, a touch of mint and a big bunch of violets. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. Perhaps, like many 1988 Left Banks, the palate has not aged as well as the nose: rustic and earthy with dryness creeping in towards the finish. In an odd way, you wish the bouquet had not been so attractive because the palate cannot quite keep up, notwithstanding that it is a little short. Not a bad Ducru-Beaucaillou by a long chalk but I would drink up bottles in the near future. Tasted at the château.